Three years after splitting from ex-husband Chad Kroeger of Nickelback, the "Head Above Water" singer says she has found new love.

"I've dated a couple people over the last few years, but obviously I don't really wanna talk about it," Lavigne told USA TODAY earlier this week. Of the new beau: "Actually, it's our one-year anniversary Valentine's Day."

Lavigne, 34, was recently spotted with rumored boyfriend Phillip Sarofim, the son of Texas billionaire Fayez Sarofim. But she remains on good terms with both Kroeger and her first ex-husband, Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley, whom she divorced in 2010.

"They're just good people," Lavigne says. "We had marriages, we lived together, I knew their families, they knew mine, we just stayed close and there's a mutual respect. Chad, in particular, we're actually really close, because that was a more recent relationship. He was with me through a lot and is a really protective person in my life. He's still like family. I didn't know that it would be that way, and I'm really glad it is because we were friends and we made music together (including 2013 duet "Let Me Go"). We've just kept the friendship and continued having a working relationship, as well."

Chad Kroeger, left, and Avril Lavigne ended their two-year marriage in 2015 but have remained good friends.(Photo: Nathan Denette, AP)

Lavigne's sixth album "Head Above Water," released Friday, was written amidst her debilitating battle with Lyme disease. Kroeger was a close collaborator throughout the recording process: lending vocals to the title track and inviting the pop star to use his studio as she recovered.

"He was a really great soundboard," Lavigne says. "I would call him and send him songs to get his opinion, and if I was ever stuck on something, he'd help me out, which is super (expletive) cool, if you think about it. I'd play him songs on FaceTime and he'd be like, 'I'm so proud of you, you did such a good job.' So he just cares about me and wants to see me do well, which is really nice."

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